Lenticular technology, in particular, as applied in known dynamic display units, requires accurate relationships between the lithographic print and the frontal lenticular panel, if adequate imaging is to be achieved.
One of the most important of these relationships is the maintenance of an exact distance between the printed information and the lenses of the lenticular panel. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,226,906 by the same applicant hereof, the description of which is incorporated herein by reference, the correct distance is maintained by placing the printed indicia carrier within a narrow gap between the front lenticular panel and a rear supporting one.
In small format units, a uniform width, narrow gap can be easily achieved. However, for large format lenticular panels, for example of size A2, A1, or A0, a uniform gap cannot be achieved. This difficulty is inherent to large plastic panels produced by extrusion or injection, since the panel will always deform upon cooling down, after production, and therefore will be non-planar.
The difficulty of maintaining the exact distance becomes even more difficult to solve when relative motion takes place between the image carrier and the lenticular panel in a dynamic display unit. No prior art, large format display unit provides an adequate answer to this problem and an innovative solution is needed.
A second condition for satisfactory presentation of the images is that perfect alignment must be maintained between the lines of printed information and the axis of the lenses. In small format units, this relationship is relatively easy to accomplish, but in larger units even the smallest deviation in angular alignment will result in a large vertical displacement at one or both edges of the display.
The problem is exacerbated in display units where the sheet containing the printed material is replaced with another in order to change the display. In this case, even if perfect alignment of the printed lines and lenses existed with the original sheet, the alignment will not necessarily be preserved on changing sheets since, for example, the lines on the second sheet might be printed at a slight angle to the edge of the sheet.
It is therefore a purpose of this invention to provide means for maintaining the required distance between the indicia carrier, on which the information to be displayed is contained, and the lenticular panel, containing the lenses used to display the information, and also to provide both static and dynamic display units incorporating these means.
It is another purpose of this invention to provide means for acquiring and maintaining the required angular alignment between the printed lines on the indicia carrier, on which the information to be displayed is contained, and the axes of the lenses, contained on the lenticular panel, which are used to display the information, and also to provide both static and dynamic display units incorporating these means.
Further purposes and advantages of this invention will appear as the description proceeds.